Chapter 22
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: I'll Visit Tomorrow
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Charlotte saw Joseph silently waiting for her to continue, as if anticipating her next words, and slowly picked up in a low voice.
"Of course, I told you. I said I wanted to take care of you, Your Highness. Whether it's moxibustion or acupuncture, once I track them down and recover my own body a bit, I want to treat your body too. Because when Your Highness is hurting, my heart aches."
"Ha, right now..."
"Yeah. It's posturing."
If it had been anyone else, they would have exploded in anger the moment Charlotte said that.
But Joseph clearly understood what she meant and shut his mouth tight without another word.
Charlotte gazed straight at him, his fierce momentum deflated, and flashed a bright smile.
"Why? Aren't you in the position to just blindly thank me? Is it right for me to be under suspicion in this situation?"
Until now, he'd been grilling her relentlessly.
Honestly, Charlotte had thought that no matter what she said, Joseph would keep pressing her.
Yet his momentum crumbled in an instant.
He withdrew that savage glare that seemed like it would spell disaster if their eyes met, stopped leaning forward on the sofa as if ready to spring out, and slowly leaned back.
Then he stared down at his own feet for a long while. Only after an eternity of silence did he finally mutter,
"...I'm sorry if my way of speaking came off poorly."
His first words were an apology.
In the story, Joseph had pride so towering that even Shales' utterly devoted love from a foreign land couldn't sway him in the slightest. Charlotte never dreamed she'd hear him apologize.
Her eyes went wide.
"It was because I was... too desperately curious. I couldn't understand it. What you've done for me... I'm grateful, but I can't wrap my head around it."
Those mutterings were directed at Charlotte, no doubt, but they sounded just like his private soliloquy.
She had braced herself, expecting him to flip the script and lash out. When he apologized out of the blue instead, she was speechless and clamped her mouth shut.
The twelve-year-old boy, curled up and staring at his toes, looked so terribly lonely and young.
...I get it.
Charlotte truly understood Joseph.
The frustration of having so much more she could show, yet the path to reveal it completely blocked.
Her own body refusing to cooperate, preventing her from unleashing her full abilities.
She probably understood it better than anyone.
It was desperate.
Breathing and clinging to life held no issue right now, but she didn't want to live like that. She yearned to reach greater heights.
So yes, it was desperate.
To shake off the suddenly heavy mood, Charlotte forced a bright tone.
"It's fine. How's a future big shot supposed to act, apologizing so casually?"
"...You're right. I spoke rudely to someone who collapsed because of me and lay bedridden for so long. I was wrong."
"Joseph, Your Highness."
"And I believe not apologizing when it's needed is wrong, whether the person's royalty or a noble."
Foul-tempered, stubborn enough to ruin his own body rather than lose, and yet so needlessly upright.
That's the Joseph I know.
Unthinkingly, Charlotte gave the prince—three years her senior—a warm, motherly smile.
"It's fine. Just trust this big sis."
"...You're spouting nonsense, seizing the moment."
Charlotte chuckled, then clapped her hands with a smack.
There was something that had been nagging at her since earlier anyway.
"Ah, then if you're grateful to me, can I ask for one thing as payment?"
"...Payment?"
"Yeah. You said you're grateful."
"I am."
"And you'll be even more grateful down the line, right? Well, no 100% guarantee."
"...Instills real trust, that does. Fine, say it. What?"
More readily than expected, Joseph nodded.
"Money? Or jewels?"
At his probing tone, Charlotte's light green eyes went round.
Money? Jewels?
Words she never imagined tumbling from a twelve-year-old's mouth.
"Wealth? Money? Haha, do I look like the type to pick a kid's pocket?"
Charlotte waved it off as absurd, and Joseph eyed her oddly.
No one was unaware that Charlotte spent most of her time cooped up in her room like a prisoner, her allowance cut off. She couldn't even indulge in the modest luxuries all nobles enjoyed—other noble kids had lured her into reckless antics with promises of jewels.
Yet here she was, three years his junior, acting every bit the big sister, brushing off his generosity with a wave.
"...Looks like you learned 'sis' wrong."
"Haha, what're you saying. Anyway, what I want is separate."
"...What is it."
"Casual speech."
Joseph stared at her, eyes wide with disbelief. He even looked a touch indignant.
"You're already using it."
"This is just my inner fondness slipping out accidentally—and Your Highness is so cute, casual speech keeps bubbling up before I know it. If I get proper permission, no guilt, yeah?"
"...Cute..."
As if he'd never heard the word in his life, Joseph scowled fiercely. Then, heating up again, words poured out in a rush.
"Do you think, because I'm the Third Prince, I have nothing to offer?"
"Huh? No, that's not it."
"You might be too young to get it, but when settling on payment, you negotiate carefully."
"...Pfft."
His earnest, advisory tone toward what he saw as a childish girl was utterly adorable.
Charlotte burst out laughing despite herself.
Joseph watched her laugh freely, tears nearly welling, for quite some time. Only after a long bout did she finally calm.
"Ah, can't even. Seriously, you've got these cute sides that don't show on the surface, Your Highness."
Joseph offered no reply.
Having failed to hear what she truly wanted, he seemed thoroughly deflated.
But he didn't look annoyed, either.
If anything, intrigued.
"...You really seem like a different person from the Charlotte I knew until now."
"Do I?"
"Yeah."
"Well... could be."
Joseph stared at her beaming smile, then muttered,
"This time, I won't let it slide."
"Huh? What?"
Charlotte tilted her head, not quite catching it.
"I've got a ton of questions, but like you said, I'll let this one pass—for now."
The words carried an undertone of vowing to uncover everything eventually.
But Charlotte let the vaguely ominous declaration flow in one ear and out the other.
After all, Joseph was destined to wed Shales, the foreign princess and the novel's heroine.
His married life never looked happy, but he was set to marry another woman regardless. He already seemed swamped just overcoming his own family drama.
Even if he took an interest in her now, once his body healed, that would be the end of it.
"So that's settled, right?"
"No. State your demand properly."
"That's enough for me. Really. If I slip into casual speech and someone side-eyes me, I can just say Your Highness permitted it. Works for me."
Joseph's brows furrowed sharply.
"I don't like it."
"Huh?"
"I said I don't like it. You know how much wealth physicians demand for treating royalty? And they couldn't even diagnose it properly... Anyway, not that. Tell me what you actually want. Don't saddle me with needless debt."
Pride, perhaps.
Charlotte crossed her arms and peered at the glaring Joseph before letting out a deep chuckle.
His body had only improved a little; she still couldn't treat him properly. Demanding casual speech with a prince was bold enough.
But Joseph simply wasn't used to it.
Receiving something from anyone.
How had he ended up this way?
A prince who ought to feel even passively receiving fell short.
Wanting to pay a fair price is fine, but that stubbornness tugs at the heart.
Shaking her head inwardly, Charlotte deliberately dredged up an outrageous demand—one Joseph would never accept.
Her imagination being so lackluster, Jerome's old threat popped into mind unbidden.
"Ah, then wanna get engaged?"
Joseph's face twisted oddly at the offhand toss from the girl who'd stubbornly insisted she wanted nothing.
"...What did you just say?"
Charlotte grinned triumphantly.
"See? Never say you'll do anything lightly. Anyway, casual speech is fine by me."
Joseph stared deep into her pale green eyes for a long moment, then shook his head, as if even continuing the conversation was pointless.
"...Fine."
With a voice laced in sigh, he rose from his seat.
He's leaving now, huh.
His weary expression made Charlotte feel like she'd been the only one enjoying the exchange.
But she took satisfaction in how naturally he moved, no trace of pain on his face.
Beaming, she waved him off.
"Bye. Hit me up next time!"
Joseph glanced back at her, his tired face flat as he replied,
"I'll drop by again tomorrow."
...Tomorrow?
Tomorrow?
Why?
Charlotte blankly watched his retreating black hair, not even registering her own lack of reply.